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(Editor´s Note: This is part six of an article urging men to let God renew their minds through faith in Jesus Christ.)
In the working citizen worldview, the thinker is occupied almost entirely with making a living. He is honest for the most part, hard working, thrifty and votes. He keeps to himself or is part of a very small group of like-minded men. He does consider himself and blacks in general as victims of white mistreatment, but in order not to ruffle any feathers that might jeopardize his living, he remains silent among all except his small group; he avoids trouble at all possible costs.
Indeed, the coping strategy of the working citizen is avoidance. He avoids conflict with whites and is respectful and cordial with them in public. In this cause, he even avoids discussing the topic of race relations and distances himself from blacks that might be perceived as troublemakers. If it were not for the fear, victimization and anger that the working citizen buries within himself, this strategy might have something to commend it. But avoiding issues do not resolve them and buried feelings never dissipate. They rise to the surface in many forms. This worldview is unhealthy.
Blacks holding the capitalist worldview see everything through the prism of economic advantage. These mostly college-educated thinkers are willing to endure nearly every kind of racial slight, insult and mistreatment to ascend America´s ladder of success. The thinking is "we must get while the getting is good!" If getting requires compromise with moral and ethical values, that is okay too because the end justifies the means. In the process, the capitalist soul takes upon it a heavy toll of repressed self-hate, guilt and shame.
Suppression is the coping strategy of those living out of the capitalist worldview. The sense of positive self-worth that might have once commanded respect is suppressed for the sake of that raise and corner office. The impulse of conscience that once would have loudly sounded to warn of wrongdoing is suppressed because "this deal is too sweet". The capitalist worldview is unhealthy too.
There is finally, a time for many blacks operating out of the working citizen and capitalist worldviews when after they have been slighted, insulted, mistreated and passed over enough, their grievances must be addressed. When that time comes, in the mix of human and legal remedies there is sure to be found one or more of black America´s historic civil rights organizations called in to save the day.
The persons that form such organizations as the NAACP or The Urban League for example, represent what has come to be the dominant worldview of black Americans. As freedom fighters, they and innumerable community activists are the champions, protectors and saviors of our victimized race. For this reason, I too once sought to be among them.
This would all be perfectly fine if it were not for the reality that blacks are not victims and freedom fighting apart from the leadership, Word, and power of God is driven instead by the motives, thinking and wisdom of sinful men. According to God, sinful men can´t save themselves (Jeremiah 17:5-8; Proverbs 29:26)!
The freedom fighter differs from the revolutionary in that he uses moral persuasion, negotiation and non-violent means to seek a change of white minds. In fact, moral engagement is the coping strategy of the freedom fighter. In this worldview, blacks with other concerned citizens are seen as fighting together to challenge the injustices from and dismantle America´s racism sustained system of oppressing blacks and other minorities. Success, as it does in all human led endeavors, breeds pride, self-seeking, effort and reliance.
Devoid of the living God who energized it when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. rose to the civil rights forefront, the freedom fighter worldview is anemic and unhealthy. It was God who brought us to this land and our assorted trials; it will only be Him who delivers us into the full liberty we seek (Psalm 20:6-9, 33:10-22).
To Be Concluded Next Issue
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